Projectile housing

ABSTRACT

A unitary, one piece projectile housing for a high explosive which explosive is within a container of a generally spherical shape and into which is threaded a fuze to form a fuze-ball assembly. The housing being generally cylindrical and having a closed nose end with the aft end provided with a converging spherically shaped portion. Said shaped portion being provided with a plurality of longitudinal slits thereby forming or defining a plurality of rearwardly extending spherical cantilever springs. The housing being of a material which is relatively thin, elastic and resilient and having at its forward inner surface a plurality of annularly disposed, inwardly directed positioners.

United States Patent Miller 1 Oct. 17, 1972 [54] PROJECTILE HOUSING Primary Examiner-Verlin R. Pendegrass [72] Inventor: Donald Miner, Rockaway, Attorney-Harry M. Saragovitz, Edward J. Kelly, Herbert Berl and Ernest Weinberger [73] Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army with the aft end provided with a converging spheri [57] ABSTRACT A unitary, one piece projectile housing for a high explosive which explosive is within a container of a generally spherical shape and into which is threaded a fuze to form a fuze-ball assembly. The housing being generally cylindrical and having a closed nose end 6 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure i K F""** I I6 I i- I J 23 I I i I L l6 PATENTEDBBI 11 1972 INVENTOR, DONALD MILLER M PROJECTILE HOUSING The invention described herein may be manufac tured, used and licensed by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to ammunition and armament and more particularly pertains to a unitary projectile housing or windshield wherein the explosive container and fuze assembly are properly aligned and secured therein.

In the field of ammunition projectiles, it has been the general practice to provide a metallic housing in two separate parts with the explosive and fuze inserted into one section, with the other section joined and sealed thereto while the explose charge is crimped thereon. Such devices have been unsatisfactory in that the assembly technique was complex and expensive while the sealed closure was subject to water vapor permeation. The present invention overcomes these inherent difficulties and limitations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The general purpose of this invention is to provide a projectile housing that has all the advantages of similarly employed prior art devices and has none of the above described disadvantages. To attain this, the present invention provides a unique, unitary cylindrically shaped housing of an elastic, resilient material, closed at its forward end. The aft end is partially closed by having this end spherically shaped and longitudinally slotted to permit deflection thereof for the insertion of the explosive-fuze assembly. The inner forward housing surface is provided with inwardly extending positioning flanges which, with the spherical aft portion, serve to properly align and support the inner assembly.

An object of this invention is to provide a unitary projectile housing which requires a simple, direct as sembly technique, while being inexpensive, reliable and requiring a minimum of parts and handling.

Another object is to provide a projectile housing which can be molded in a unitary form and can support therein in axial alignment the ball-fuze assembly.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The FIGURE is a partially broken-away view of an assembled munition including a housing made in accordance with the principle of this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the illustrated embodiment of the FIGURE the housing is unitary and generally circularly cylindrical in shape with the forward or nose end 11 closed by wall 12 where it may be relatively thin walled since it is not subjected to excessive stress. The central portion 13 requires a thicker wall structure and is formed with an annular flanged ring 14 which, when the projectile is fired, engages the barrel rifling and imparts stabilizing spin to the round. The rear or aft end 15 is spherically converging and provided with a plurality of slits 16 which extend longitudinally through for approximately one-half the aft portion to define a plurality of spherical cantilever springs 17.

The housing may be formed of any suitable material which is elastic, lightweight and resilient. Although many such materials are readily available as alloys and plastics, polycarbonate, a clear, moldable plastic com position glass fiber reinforced nylon have proved quite satisfactory. Carried within the housing 10 is a forward fuze system 18 which includes the rearwardly directed and threaded extension 19. This section is threaded into mating aperture of the ball charge 20 to form a ball-fuze assembly. The ball itself is generally spherical but may be fustroconical at its forward end as shown and has disposed therein the high explosive, which is detonated by the fuze. Supported by the housing rear section and extending back therefrom is cartridge case 21. The inner forward surface 22 of the housing is formed with a multiplicity of inwardly extending positioners 23 which abut the fuze wall and would serve to axially center the fuze. The cantilever springs 17 hold and center the ball so that the entire ball-fuze assembly is axially aligned and" the projectile is dynamically balanced. In assembling the projectile, the fuze and ball are threaded together and the resulting assembly is inserted into the housing with the cantilever springs deflecting to accommodate the large dimension of the ball section. The springs then retract or return to their normal position to retain and support the ball. It is clear that in fabrication the entire housing may be molded in a one step operation.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention and that numerous modifications or alterations may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A unitary projectile housing for containing therein a ball shaped charge and a fuze joined together to form a ball-fuze assembly, said housing comprising:

a generally circular cylinder closed at its forward end, and

having its aft portion open by spherically convergent,

said aft convergent portion being provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending slits to form cantilever springs for permitting deflection thereof,

whereby said assembly may be inserted into said housing and retained therein.

2. The housing according to claim 1 further including:

a plurality of annularly inwardly extending flange positioners disposed on the inner forward housing wall for supporting said fuze in axial alignment with said housing.

3. The housing according to claim 2 further including:

a coaxial annular outwardly extending flange disposed on the outer surface of said housing intermediate said aft and forward ends.

4. The housing according to claim 3 wherein said housing is of a resilient moldable plastic.

5. The housing according to claim 4 wherein said plastic is polycarbonate.

6. The housing according to claim 3 wherein said housing is of glass fiber reinforced nylon. 

1. A unitary projectile housing for containing therein a ball shaped charge and a fuze joined together to form a ball-fuze assembly, said housing comprising: a generally circular cylinder closed at its forward end, and having its aft portion open by spherically convergent, said aft convergent portion being provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending slits to form cantilever springs for permitting deflection thereof, whereby said assembly may be inserted into said housing and retained therein.
 2. The housing according to claim 1 further including: a plurality of annularly inwardly extending flange positioners disposed on the inner forward housing wall for supporting said fuze in axial alignment with said housing.
 3. The housing according to claim 2 further including: a coaxial annular outwardly extending flange disposed on the outer surface of said housing intermediate said aft and forward ends.
 4. The housing according to claim 3 wherein said housing is of a resilient moldable plastic.
 5. The housing according to claim 4 wherein said plastic is polycarbonate.
 6. The housing according to claim 3 wherein said housing is of glass fiber reinforced nylon. 